How could I not be thrilled when a beauty like Li Shanshan asked me to treat her to a meal? Especially since she hadn’t left right away—didn’t that mean I still had a chance?

Without wasting a second, I turned to Tai Long and the others. “Big meal’s on me today! Let’s go!”

I led them straight to the most famous restaurant near University Town: Xiang Liren Restaurant. This place had two floors, not overly luxurious or extravagant, instead going for a cozy and simple vibe. The food? Amazing and unique. But the prices? Definitely on the steeper side.

Anyway, I had fifty thousand stashed with Brother Xiang, so I wasn’t worried about the cost. Leading the crew, we strode right into Xiang Liren.

It was still morning, so the restaurant had just opened. The servers were yawning, but as soon as they saw us, they plastered on professional smiles and welcomed us in.

Though I’d never been here before, I pretended I was a regular and requested a private room. The five of us stepped inside, and to my surprise, Li Shanshan casually sat down beside me. Tai Long, Brother Xiang, and Little Fatty all picked seats far from us, clearly trying to give us some alone time.

Let’s be honest, I couldn’t help but feel something. Li Shanshan was stunning. Even though her face had been pale and her eyes red yesterday, her beauty was undeniable. If she spruced herself up just a little, she’d be breathtaking.

“What do you feel like eating?” I handed the menu to Li Shanshan.

She took it absentmindedly, glanced over it, and said, “You all decide. I’m not really hungry.”

“Alright,” Brother Xiang cut in, snatching the menu and enthusiastically ordering a bunch of dishes. Knowing I had fifty grand, he didn’t hold back at all. Tai Long and Little Fatty joined in the frenzy, throwing in their picks without hesitation.

I ignored these gluttons. They were shameless.

“By the way, I’m sorry about yesterday,” Li Shanshan said, looking at my shoulder with an apologetic expression. “Does it still hurt?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I waved it off. “But what was all that about yesterday? That guy… he’s your boyfriend, right?”

Even with my thick skin, I wasn’t about to stick my nose where it didn’t belong if she already had a boyfriend.

“He’s my ex-boyfriend. We’ve already broken up.” Li Shanshan corrected me, though a trace of sadness crossed her face. From the look of it, they must’ve been really close.

She seemed to remember something and added, “Oh, about the things I said yesterday—I only said them to provoke him. Don’t take it to heart. If you don’t mind, let’s just be friends from now on.”

“Sure.” I nodded, feeling a little elated inside. We exchanged phone numbers, and soon, the food arrived.

Everyone dug in, except for Li Shanshan, who barely touched her food. She looked pale and only managed a couple of bites before lowering her head, her expression worsening by the minute.

Noticing something was off, I asked, “Hey, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?”

“N-no, I’m fine…” she stammered, but her face went even whiter. Suddenly, she coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed with a loud thud, unconscious.

We all froze in shock until Tai Long, quick on his feet, snapped us out of it. “What are you all standing there for?! Get her to the hospital!”

He hoisted Li Shanshan onto his back and bolted downstairs, with Little Fatty and me hot on his heels. Brother Xiang stayed behind to settle the bill.

Outside, we flagged down a taxi. The driver, startled by the blood-soaked Li Shanshan, hesitated for a moment before Tai Long barked, “City Hospital, now!”

Seeing we weren’t troublemakers, the driver floored it.

At the hospital, the doctors rushed her into the emergency room. That’s when the real headache started.

“The patient’s in critical condition. Which one of you is her family member? Someone needs to sign for the surgery,” a middle-aged doctor demanded, looking worried.

I frowned. I knew the hospital rules, but there was no way we could find her family in time. She’d be a goner by then.

“I’m her boyfriend. Her parents are out of town. I’ll sign,” I said without hesitation, grabbing the pen and signing the form.

The doctor gave me a skeptical look but didn’t press further. Time was of the essence, and he rushed off to begin the surgery.

Brother Xiang arrived not long after, handing me a bank card. “Here, use this for the paperwork.”

Hospitals are a bureaucratic nightmare. It took me over an hour to get everything sorted. Meanwhile, the four of us waited anxiously outside the operating room, still puzzled about how a simple meal had led to this.

Two hours later, the doctor emerged, looking relieved.

“Good news, the surgery was a success,” he announced, then glanced at me. “But you lied, didn’t you? This young lady’s parents are actually in Chongqing. We’ve already contacted them, and they’re on their way.”

As soon as he finished, three people came rushing over: a middle-aged man with a square face in a suit, a wealthy-looking woman decked out in fine clothes and a pearl necklace, and… that guy from the internet café, Li Shanshan’s ex-boyfriend. All three looked deeply worried.

The doctor greeted them with a smile and began explaining the situation.

Tai Long frowned at the sight. “Huizi, let’s go. Just look at them—rich folks like that might think we’re here to freeload if we stick around.”

I nodded, agreeing with him. The four of us stood to leave, but Li Shanshan’s ex suddenly shouted, “Stop right there!”

I instinctively froze and turned around. The guy pulled out his wallet, peeled off a stack of cash, and pointed it at us. “I don’t care what you little punks are up to. Stay away from Shanshan from now on.”

Tai Long snorted. “Since when are police academy students considered punks? Does that make everyone in the precinct a punk too?”

“Go to hell!” The guy flung the cash at Tai Long’s face and rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight.

“Ye Yu, stop it! This is a hospital. Don’t make a scene,” the middle-aged man barked, stopping him. Then, with a frosty expression, he turned to us. “You’re from the police academy? I’ll inform your dean about your good deed, but Shanshan should focus on her studies. It’s best you don’t contact her anymore.”

He pulled out a bank card and extended it toward us. “Here’s fifty thousand yuan as thanks.”

I shook my head and walked away without taking the money. Sure, I was broke, but I had my pride. The others followed me out.

“Damn it! So what if he’s rich? If he pushes me too far, I’ll make him regret it!” Brother Xiang fumed the moment we were outside.

Little Fatty shook his head. “You? Kill someone? With his connections, you’d be lucky to even meet him, let alone touch him.”

“Whatever! I’m just venting!” Brother Xiang yelled in frustration.

Tai Long chimed in, “Alright, enough. Let me ask you this: if you had that much money, would you let your daughter hang out with a broke college kid?”

“Fair point,” Brother Xiang admitted. He patted my shoulder and said, “Don’t sweat it, bro. I’ll find you someone better in no time. Forget about her—she’s not worth it. Just don’t go pulling any Romeo and Juliet stunts, okay?”

“Am I that fragile?” I chuckled bitterly. Outwardly, I played it cool, but deep down, I felt terrible. Not because I was head-over-heels for Li Shanshan or heartbroken by her parents’ interference—that’s TV drama stuff. I just couldn’t stand being looked down on like that.

Ah, whatever. It’s not like it’s the end of the world.